St Paul's Church and Monastic Site

St Paul's Church has been a place of Christian prayer and worship for over 1300 years. As the home of the Venerable Bede, priest, monk and scholar of Jarrow, it is now a centre of pilgrimage with international significance.

Amazingly the chancel in the church survives from the 7th century, when it was a free standing chapel in the monastery and would have stood during the time Bede worshiped there.

Inside the church cemented into the wall of the tower is the original stone slab which records in a Latin inscription the dedication of the church on 23 April AD 685. The inscription translates in English as:

"The dedication of the basilica of St. Paul on the 9th day before the Kalens of May in the 15th year of King Ecgfrith and in the fourth year of Abbot Ceolfrith founder, by God's guidance of the same church".

Alongside St Paul's Church is the remains of the later built monastery.

Contact details

Opening times

Monday to Saturday 10.30am to 3.30pm (11am to 3pm in winter)

Sunday 2pm to 4pm (2pm to 3.30pm in winter)

Please note: St Paul's Church is a working parish so please note these times may change. If a service is in progress visitors are not permitted to enter the church unless they wish to participate. The monastic remains can be explored at all times.